© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of
SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

What does religion do for us?
Helps give meaning to life, death, suffering, injustice, and events beyond our control
Provides guidelines, beliefs, and values that separate right from wrong; important in controlling everyday behavior
Helps individuals define reality
Sacrilizes (makes sacred) aspects of our culture, making them unquestionable
Durkheim’s “sacred realm”: the dimension of life separate from the mundane world, which elicits awe and fear
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

What does religion do for us?
Meaning system: a faith or world-view that provides a sense of meaning and purpose in life
Belonging system: a set of interpersonal relationships and friendship networks
Structural system: a stable pattern of roles, statuses, and organizational practices
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

What does religion do for us?
Components of religion:
(micro level)
Ideas and symbols that provide a sense of purpose in life and help explain why suffering, injustice, and evil exist
Provides a “big picture” explanation for chaotic and irrational events
Religious meaning system vary with the needs of each culture
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

What does religion do for us?
Components of religion:
(micro-meso levels)
People remain in religions because they feel they belong in the friendship and kinship networks, not just due to meanings
The religions that have grown the most recently are those that have fostered a sense of belonging, e.g. by encouraging endogamy or marriage within the group
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

What does religion do for us?
Components of religion:
(meso-macro levels)
Religions require some system of control and screening of new revelations; otherwise, meanings would become too individualized
Designated religious leaders have authority to:
Interpret theology and define essentials of the faith
Raise funds and ensure continuation of the group
To survive, religions must be institutionalized
Routinization of charisma: development of established roles, statuses, groups, routines, bureaucratic organization
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

What does religion do for us?
Micro-level analysis:
Religion is mostly learned through family socialization
Formal means: within a temple, church, or mosque
Informal means: observing others practice their faith
Individuals usually change religions first on the belonging level, and later on the meaning and structural levels
There is more fluidity in religious membership now than ever before, though religions try to gain members’ commitment
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Micro-Level Theories of Religion
Concerned with how people make sense of things and construct their worlds
Myths: stories embodying ideas about the world
Rituals: group activities that reinforce myths
• Orthopraxy: conformity of behavior
• Orthodoxy: conformity of beliefs
Symbols: anything that can stand for something else
• Religious symbols often stand for elements of a transcendent realm that cannot be directly experienced
• Symbols are used extensively in rituals to represent myths
Symbolic interactionists focus on how symbols, rituals, and myths influence perceptions of reality
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Micro-Level Theories of Religion
People who can choose their religion decide by weighing costs and benefits
Costs include financial contributions and time
Benefits include salvation, belonging, and meaning
An economic model of behavior:
Churchgoers seen as consumers; churches as entrepreneurial establishments
Religions produce rituals, meanings, etc. to meet consumer demand
When religion is chosen, there is a competitive marketplace
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion and Modern Life
Meso-level analysis:
In traditional societies, religion is not separate from other social institutions
In complex societies, religion is distinct, but influences and is influenced by other institutions
The dominant religion generally supports the political system and ideology of the dominant group, and is related to economic, education, family, and health systems
Other systems can exert pressures on religion
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion and Modern Life
Religion and other institutions:
Parents provide our first contact with religion; religions honor and legitimate the family
Religiosity: a person’s degree of religious involvement
Associated with moral beliefs and behaviors during youth
Religions often try to support family life, but sometimes increase family tensions
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion and Modern Life
Religion and other institutions:
Theocracy: rule by God; religious leaders rule in accordance with God’s presumed wishes
State religion: a religion that has some autonomy but receives government support
Some governments have prohibited religion
Civil religion: a set of beliefs, symbols, and rituals that pervade secular life and institutions, endorse what the nation stands for, and strengthen the belonging of citizens
Found in complex societies with diverse religions
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion and Modern Life
Religion and other institutions:
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion and Modern Life
Religion and other institutions:
Max Weber: analyzed the relationship between
Protestant beliefs and the growth of capitalism
Predestination
The “calling”
Self-denial and delayed gratification
Individualism
Religion led to a shift in cultural values, which transformed the economic system
Other links between religion and economy
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion and Modern Life
Ecclesia: official state religions that claim everyone within a certain society as members
Denominations: have legitimacy but not a religious monopoly; have clear hierarchies and trained leadership; support the state; members more privileged than disenfranchised
Sects: form in protest against parent religions; separate from other religious and social groups; claim monopoly over religious truth, often demand total allegiance of members
New religious movements (cults): splinter or protest groups that become new religions rather than denominations; often started by charismatic leaders, often persecuted
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Macro-Level Theories of Religion
Religion has positive consequences for society:
Promotes social cohesion
Legitimates social values and norms
Social change: religion can help maintain the status quo or change it
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Macro-Level Theories of Religion
Links religion to stratification: religion can reinforce socially-defined differences in a way that legitimizes prejudice and inequality
The class basis of religion
Karl Marx: religion perpetuates the current power structure by acting as “the opiate of the masses”
Max Weber’s “elective affinity”: people belong to religious groups that espouse values compatible with their social class
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Macro-Level Theories of Religion
, cont.
Religion, racial bias, and gender prejudice:
Most religions have discriminated against some group at some time
Some religions reject race discrimination formally, but members practice it informally
Many religions legitimate treating women differently and/or as inferiors; often women cannot attain high positions in religious hierarchies
Religion can reinforce ethnocentrism
Religion has also been a force for greater equality
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion in the Modern World
Religion and spirituality remain integral to people’s lives
The religious makeup of the U.S. and Canada are changing:
Mainline protestant denominations are losing members
Evangelical Christianity is gaining
Other new religious groups are forming
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion in the Modern World
Secularization: the diminishing influence of religion in everyday life
Religion isn’t the dominant institution, but one of many
Movement away from the supernatural and sacred in favor of logic and empirical evidence
Secularization varies across social levels:
Individuals remain religious, but …
Macro- and meso-level organizations use secular policies and procedures, and
The global level is highly secular
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion in the Modern World
Many religious meaning systems advocate peace and harmony
Structural systems may foster “we vs. they” thinking that draws large numbers and promotes financial vitality, but undermines peace
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Liberal theologies believe that God can speak through many religious traditions
Fundamentalist groups believe they must defend their one true religion, which may lead to ethnocentrism and violence
Conflict between religious groups is especially intense if ethnic and economic differences are also involved
Religion can reduce hatred between groups if there is a common identification or purpose
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Religion in the Modern World
Prior to the modern era, church hierarchies controlled the dissemination of religious truth
Religious reformers used the printing press to bring religious texts to the people
Now, new technologies such as television and multimedia spread religious ideas and information even further
They have also enhanced the “marketing” of religion to “consumers”
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Most religions assume the normalcy of heterosexuality, but some have recognized the possibility of gay and lesbian marriage
Liberals and conservatives construct the meaning of morality differently
Liberals reject bigotry against people with an unchangeable characteristic
Conservatives reject a chosen lifestyle that is threatening to society and family
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.

Two factors are creating tension and possible change in religion, especially Christianity:
The belief in the equality of all before God
The idea that the larger society should legitimate leadership roles based on competence rather than innate traits
Controversial issues:
Whether homosexuals can become clergy
Whether gay marriage should be permitted
Whether churches should become involved in governmental policies regarding gay marriage
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.